Mercury-vapor lamp for alternating currents



March 11, 1930. R. A. F. MATOUCH 1,750,482

IERCURY VAPOR LAMP FOR ALTERNATING CURREN'I'S Fild Juno 5, 1924 2 Shoots-Sheet 1 Mfness: 644 x. farmed March 11, 1930. R. A. F. MATOUCH 1,750,482

MERCURY VAPOR LAMP FOR ALTERNATING CURRENTS Filed June 5, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5.

Bada lf'flEMatouch} Patented Mar. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RUDOLF ANTON FRANZ MATOUCH, OF LEIPZIG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR T ADOLF GUSTAV KO LLMANN, 0F LEIPZIG-GOHLIS, SAXONY, GERMANY MERCURY-VAPOR LAMP FOR ALTERNATING CURRENTS Applicationfiled June 5, 1924, Serial No.

My invention relates to mercury vapor lamps and it has particular relation to lamps of the character designated wherein two anodes and one cathode are so positioned that alternating current is properly rectified.

The invention relates more particularly to the provision of a lamp wherein certain undesirable structures, now employed, may be eliminated. In the alternating currentmercury vapor lamps, as now used, a partition 1s usually arranged between the cathode and the two anodes in a longitudinal direction and it is my experience that the are frequently fails to be formed in such a structure since, notwithstanding the aforesaid partition, the mercury sometimes flows back to the anodes as a closed stream.

Moreover, the provision of a partition in the quartz tube, which is usually employed, makes it necessary to use an excessive amount of expensive quartz whereby the cost of the lamp is appreciably increased. These inconveniences are avoided by the use of an improved lamp embodying my invention which is hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 illustrates my lamp in front elevation;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lamp shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a. side elevational view of the lam Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one feature of my invention; and

Fig. 5 is a true perspective view of the lamp shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and shows the proper relationship of its various parts.

In the drawings, a cathode 1 is filled with mercury and is adapted to cooperate with mercury in the anodes 2 and 3. A quartz tube comprising arms 4-4 connects the two anodes together, it being observed that these arms slope upwardly to an apex 6, whence a tubular extension 5, which connects the oathode 1 with the arms 4-4.- and, consequently, with the anodes, is branched oil.

The points where the anode and cathode, wells are located are designated by the numerals 1, 2 and 3.

The anodes 2 and 3 are, therefore, situated 718,032, and in Germany April 25, 1924.

at the two sides of the axis wy of the oathode and are connected with each other by the tube 4 extending along the axis ow While, at the middle of the tube where the arms incline upwardly, the tubular connecting member 5 leads to the cathode 1. As noted the two arms 44 extend along the axis 010 in such manner that the point 6 at which they join one another is situated in a higher plane, when the lamp is in normal operating position, than the anodes 2 and 3.

In order to light the lamp the same is retated, for instance, around the point 7 situated in proximity to the cathode 1 or, as shown, in Fig. 3 upwardly in the direction of the arrow 8. By this rotation, the arms of the tube 4, which are normally inclined to a horizontal plane, are brought into horizontal position so that the mercury streams from the anodes 2 and 3 join with one another and come into contact with the mercury in the cathode 1. When the lamp is slowly rotated in a direction opposite to the arrow 8, the mercury separates into two jets flowing back into anodes 2 and 3, some remaining in the cathode l, whereupon an arc is formed and the lamp operates, provided that proper voltage is impressed thereupon.

While I have shown but one embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that many modifications may occur to those skilled in the art and I desire, therefore, that the same be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An alternating current mercury vapor lamp comprising a central illuminating tube, anodes at the end ofsaid tube at right angles thereto and extending in one direction, a cathode vessel connected with said illuminating tube by a thick walled connecting tube at substantially the center of said illuminating tube, said connecting tube extending in a general direction opposite to that in which the anodes extend, said cathode vessel being horizontally disposed when in use in a direction parallel with said illuminating tube and at right angles to said anodes and lying in a plane that is laterally displaced from a plane running vertically through said illuminating 100 tube and in a-horizontal plane substantial y below and parallel to a horizontal plane passing through said illuminating tube at the point where said connecting tube is'thereto" attached.

2. An alternating current mercury vapor lamp comprising a-central illuminating tube, anodes at the ends of said tube at ri ht angles thereto and extending in a forward direction when in use, a cathode vessel connected with said illuminating tube at substantially the center thereof by a thick-walled connecting tube that extends in a generally backward and downward direction, said cathode vessel being horizontally disposed when in use and parallel with said illuminating tube. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

Dr. KUDOLF ANTON FRANZ MATOUCH. 

